Blank for rigid hinge-lid type wrappers for tobacco products and a procedure for manufacturing such wrappers

ABSTRACT

A rigid type wrapper ( 1 ) with a hinged lid ( 13 ) is fashioned from a flat diecut blank ( 42 ) presenting a treated face and an untreated face and comprising a main portion ( 45 ) destined to form the container ( 11 ) and the lid ( 13 ) of the wrapper ( 1 ), also an appendage ( 50 ), destined to provide a stiffening frame ( 23 ), appearing as a first portion ( 51 ) and two connecting arms ( 52 ) terminating at the opposite ends in first and second precreased fold lines ( 53, 54 ) along which the arms ( 52 ) are hinged respectively to the main portion ( 45 ) and to the first portion ( 51 ) of the blank. The frame ( 23 ) is erected by rotating the arms ( 52 ) about the respective first precreased fold line ( 53 ) to the point at which they are bent double over the main portion ( 45 ), and simultaneously rotating the first portion ( 51 ) of the appendage ( 50 ) about the respective second precreased fold lines ( 54 ) to the point at which the treated face of the first portion ( 51 ) is bent double over the untreated face of the main portion ( 45 ), so that when the wrapper ( 1 ) is fully assembled, the frame ( 23 ) will be positioned with the treated surface facing outwards.

This application is the national phase of International ApplicationPCT/IB01/02630 filed on Dec. 18, 2001 which designated the UnitedStates, and that International Application was published under PCTarticle 21(2) in English.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a diecut blank from which to fashionwrappers of rigid type with a hinged lid for tobacco products.

The term “rigid wrapper” as used in the following specification can betaken to mean either a carton proportioned to accommodate a plurality ofpackets of cigarettes, or a single packet containing a group ofcigarettes or tobacco products broadly considered.

BACKGROUND ART

In general, rigid wrappers of the type in question with a hinged lid arebox-like, presenting the shape of a rectangular parallelepiped, anddesigned to hold a plurality of packets of cigarettes, in the case of acarton, or an ordered group of cigarettes enveloped in an inner wrappernormally of metal foil paper, in the case of a packet of cigarettes.

The rigid wrapper comprises a container, also a lid hinged to a rearedge of the container and rotatable thus between positions in which thecontainer is open and closed, respectively. Normally, the rigid wrappercomprises a top end face, a bottom end face, a rear face consisting in acontinuous panel divided into two parts by a transverse hinge line alongwhich the lid and the container are joined, a front face comprising twodistinct portions constituting the front face of the container and thefront face of the lid, respectively, and two flank faces each comprisingtwo distinct portions constituting the flank face of the container andthe flank face of the lid, respectively.

The container and lid are fashioned generally by folding a single diecutblank of cardboard or similar material. One side of the blank,constituting the external face of the wrapper that will be exposed toview, has a treated surface bearing written and decorative matter,whilst the other side constituting the internal face of the wrapper,concealed from view, is left untreated.

Rigid wrappers of the type described above are furnished normally with astiffening frame, also of cardboard or similar material, positionedpartially inside the container and breasted in contact with the innersurface of the front face and the flank faces of the selfsame container.The part of the frame that projects from the container functionsessentially as an element against which the lid locates and is heldstable when occupying the closed position.

The prior art embraces procedures for manufacturing wrappers of the typedescribed above in which the groups of cigarettes, enveloped in theirrespective inner wrappers, are paired with frames cut from a continuousstrip of paperboard separately from the blank constituting the rigidwrapper; the prior art also embraces procedures involving the use offlat diecut blanks with the frame already incorporated.

In the latter instance, more particularly, it is the practice to use aflat blank of which a central panel, coinciding with the front face ofthe rigid wrapper fashioned from the blank, is associated along oneendmost edge with a stiffening frame, by way of an intermediate panel.

In a second type of blank incorporating a frame, the frame is connectedto the edges of two lateral panels coinciding with the flanks of therigid wrapper. When the wrapper is erected, the frame prepared in thisway will be bent double into overlapping contact to the inside face ofthe front panel, and secured in position.

In both cases, the result of the bending operation is that the untreatedface of the frame is brought into contact with the untreated face of thepanels destined to form the front and flank faces of the wrapper, sothat when the packet is opened, the portion of the frame projecting fromthe container and exposed to view will present its untreated face, whichconversely is not the case when using frames cut separately from acontinuous strip of paperboard and paired with the group of cigarettes.

As regards the use of a blank with the frame already incorporated, thesolution described betrays a drawback in terms of appearance, andmoreover, prevents a smooth sliding action of the lid when opened andclosed by reason of the contact between the two untreated surfaces ofthe lid and the frame.

The object of the present invention is to provide a wrapper of rigidtype with a hinged lid for cartons and for packets of cigarettes, suchas will be lo unaffected by the drawbacks mentioned above.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

The stated object is realized according to the present invention in ablank for a wrapper of rigid type with a hinged lid for tobaccoproducts, the wrapper appearing substantially parallelepiped in shape,presenting a front face, a rear face, two flank faces, a top end faceand a bottom end face, and comprising a container and a lid joinedtogether along a hinge line, also a frame with a U-profiled top edge,the blank presenting a transverse axis and a longitudinal axis andcomprising a main portion destined to form the container and the lid,and an appendage destined to form the frame, characterized in that theappendage presents a first portion comprising the frame, and at leastone connecting arm terminating at the opposite ends in first and secondprecreased fold lines along which the selfsame arm is joinedrespectively to the main portion and to the first portion comprising theframe.

The invention also relates to a procedure for the manufacture of rigidhinge-lid wrappers for tobacco products.

A procedure according to the present invention for manufacturing awrapper of rigid type with a hinged lid for tobacco products, whereinthe wrapper is obtained from a flat diecut blank presenting a transverseaxis, a longitudinal axis, a treated face and an untreated face, andcomprising a main portion destined to form the container and the lid andan appendage destined to form a frame, is characterized in that theappendage presents a first portion comprising the frame and at least oneconnecting arm terminating at the opposite ends in first and a secondprecreased fold lines along which the selfsame arm is joinedrespectively to the main portion and to the first portion comprising theframe, and in that it comprises the steps of rotating the arm about thefirst precreased fold line to the point at which it is bent double overthe main portion, and rotating the first portion of the appendagecomprising the frame about the second precreased fold line to the pointat which the treated face of the selfsame first portion is bent doubleover the untreated face of the main portion.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will now be described in detail, by way of example, withthe aid of the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGS. 1 to 4 illustrate four flat diecut blanks embodied in accordancewith the present invention;

FIGS. 5 to 8 illustrate the blank of FIG. 2, viewed schematically and inperspective, in a number of folding steps effected in manufacturing thewrapper of FIG. 10;

FIGS. 9 to 12 illustrate four embodiments of a rigid wrapper accordingto the invention, viewed schematically and in perspective, obtained fromthe respective blanks of FIGS. 1 to 4.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

With reference to FIGS. 9, 10, 11 and 12 of the drawings, 1 denotes awrapper of rigid type with a hinged lid presenting the shape of asubstantially rectangular parallelepiped with a predominatinglongitudinal axis 2, embodied in the particular examples of FIGS. 9, 10,11 and 12 as a carton 3 designed to accommodate several packets 4 ofcigarettes arranged as a group in two rows F each composed of fivepackets 4.

In each case, the single wrapper 1 presents a front face 5, a rear face6, two flank faces 7, a top end face 8 and a bottom end face 9.Observing the wrapper of FIG. 9, in particular, the front face 5, therear face 6 and the two flank faces 7 are joined one to the next alongrelative sharp corner edges 10 extending parallel to the longitudinalaxis 2.

The wrapper 1 comprises a container 11 presenting an open top end 12,and uppermost, a lid 13 joined to the container along a hinge line 14and rotatable thus between an open position (not illustrated) and aposition in which the top end 12 is closed (illustrated in FIGS. 9, 10,11 and 12).

More exactly, the container 11 presents a front 15 and a back 16,mutually opposed and parallel, two flanks 17 disposed parallel one withanother and perpendicular to the front 15 and the back 16, and a bottom18 coinciding with the bottom end face 9 of the wrapper 1.

Similarly, the lid 13 presents a front 19 and a back 20, two flanks 21,and a top 22 coinciding with the top end face 8 of the wrapper 1.

The two fronts 15 and 19 combine to establish the front face 5 of thewrapper 1, the two backs 16 and 20 combine to establish the rear face 6of the wrapper 1, and the pairs of flanks 17 and 21 combine to establishthe respective flank faces 7 of the wrapper 1.

Finally, the rigid wrapper 1 comprises a stiffening frame 23 anchored tothe container 11, presenting a part 24 positioned inside the selfsamecontainer 11, and a remaining part 25 that projects from the containerthrough the open top 12 and functions essentially as an element againstwhich the lid 13 locates, and by which it is held stable when occupyingthe closed position.

The frame 23 comprises a central portion 26 of which the part nearer tothe bottom end face 9 of the wrapper 1 presents a bottom edge 27directed toward and extending parallel with the selfsame bottom end face9, and the part nearer the lid 13 presents a top edge 28 exhibiting asubstantially U-shaped profile, appearing as a central cutaway 29 andtwo lateral restraints 30 extending upward toward the lid 13. Thecentral portion 26 is fixed to the front 15 of the container 11, on theinside, in such a way that the restraints 30 and the central cutaway 29project from the container, and is integral with two lateral portions 31of the frame 23 fixed to the flanks 17 of the container 11, on theinside.

The lateral portions 31 are L-shaped, presenting a top end 32 thatprojects toward the lid 13 from the respective flank 17, and a bottomend 33 of which the transverse dimension is greater than that of the topend 32. The bottom end 33 is hinged along a top edge, denoted 34 anddirected toward the lid 13, with the top end of a respective verticalpanel 35 of which the remaining bottom end is hinged to the flank 17 ofthe container 11 along a line occupying the same plane as the bottom endface 9.

It will be noted that the central cutaway 29, the restraints 30 and thetop ends 32 of the lateral portions 31 constitute the parts of the frame23 exposed to view when the lid 13 is opened.

Whilst in the example of FIG. 9, the front, rear and flank faces 5, 6and 7 of the wrapper 1 are joined one to another along sharp corneredges 10 and the carton 3 of FIG. 9 is designed to accommodate packets 4with sharp corner edges, the corresponding faces 5, 6 and 7 of thewrapper 1 in FIG. 10 are joined along bevelled longitudinal corner edges36 and the relative carton 3 is designed to accommodated packets 4 withbevelled corner edges, whereas the faces 5, 6 and 7 of the wrapper 1 inFIG. 11 are joined along rounded longitudinal corner edges 37 and therelative carton 3 is designed to accommodated packets 4 with roundedcorner edges.

Finally, in the example of FIG. 12, the flank faces 7 of the wrapper 1appear mutually parallel and convexly profiled, and substantiallyperpendicular to the front and rear faces 5 and 6. Each flank face 7presents a flat central part 38 and two longitudinal lateral bands 39rendered pliable internally by a plurality of crease lines 40, andjoined to the respective front face 5 and rear face 6 along sharp corneredges 41.

In particular, the carton 3 of FIG. 12 is designed to accommodatepackets 4 presenting similar characteristics, of the type disclosed inpatent application PCT/IT99/00222, to which reference may be made for afull description.

Referring to FIGS. 1, 2, 3 and 4, the wrapper 1 is fashioned from a flatdiecut blank 42 of substantially L-shaped outline referable to atransverse axis 43, and to a longitudinal axis 44 extending parallel tothe axis 2 of the wrapper 1. Each of the blanks 42 comprises a mainportion 45 destined to provide the container 11 and the lid 13, which iscentred on the transverse axis 43 and comprises, aligned along theselfsame axis 43, a central panel 46, two lateral panels 47 disposed oneither side of the central panel 46, an end panel 48 connectedindirectly to the central panel 46 by way of one of the lateral panels47, and an end flap 49 connected to the other lateral panel 47. Theblank 42 further comprises an appendage 50 connected to the main portion45 and aligned with the central panel 46 along the longitudinal axis 44.The appendage 50 comprises a first portion 51 destined to provide theframe 23, and two connecting arms 52 disposed one on either side of thefirst portion 51, coinciding with the aforementioned vertical panels 35,of which the opposite ends are joined respectively along firstprecreased fold lines 53 to the lateral panels 47 and along secondprecreased fold lines 54 to the first portion 51. The first and secondprecreased fold lines 53 and 54 are aligned in pairs, all parallel withthe transverse axis 43.

The main portion 45 presents four first longitudinal precreased bendareas 55 extending perpendicular to the transverse axis 43 and definingthe central panel 46, which coincides with the front face 5 of thewrapper 1, the lateral panels 47, which coincide with the flank faces 7of the wrapper 1, the end panel 48, coinciding with the rear face 6 ofthe wrapper 1, and the end flap 49. The main portion 45 furthercomprises a first crease line 56 extending parallel to the transverseaxis 43 and defining a first end fold 57 associated with the end panel48, also a second end fold 58 associated with the central panel 46, andtwo flaps 59 associated each with a respective lateral panel 47. Thesecond end fold 58 and the flaps 59 will be offered and fixed to theinside of the first end fold 57, with which they combine to make up thetop end face 8 of the wrapper. A second crease line 60 extendingparallel to the transverse axis 43 defines another first end fold 57associated with the end panel 48 and another second end fold 58associated with the central panel 46. The parts of the second creaseline 60 coinciding with the lateral panels 47 are one and the same asthe first precreased fold lines 53 lo mentioned previously.

The main portion 45 also comprises a crease line 61 extending across theend panel 48, parallel to the transverse axis 43, functioning as thehinge 14 along which the lid 13 is joined to the container 11, and aperforation line 62 extending across the lateral panels 47 and thecentral panel 46. The perforation line 62, which extends from the end ofthe crease line 61, comprises a first leg 63 angled toward the appendage50 and crossing one lateral panel 47, a second leg 64 extending parallelto the transverse axis 43 and crossing the central panel 46, and a thirdleg 65 disposed symmetrically with the first leg 63, angled away fromthe appendage 50 and crossing the other lateral panel 47. The lateralpanels 47 are divided by the first and third legs 63 and 65 into tworespective portions denoted 17′ and 21′, destined to provide the flanks17 and 21 of the container 11 and the lid 13 respectively, whilst thecentral panel 46 is divided by the second leg 64 into two portionsdenoted 15′ and 19′ destined to provide the front 15 of the container 11and the front 19 of the lid 13.

The appendage 50 presents two second longitudinal precreased bend areas66 aligned on the two first longitudinal precreased bend areas 55bordering the central panel 46 of the main portion 45, by which thefirst portion 51 of the appendage 50 is divided into a central portion67 and two lateral portions 68.

The lateral portions 68, which will become the flanks of the frame 23,appear L-shaped and are generated by respective cuts 69 separating themfrom the aforementioned arms 52. The cuts 69 terminate at the bottom endin alignment with the aforementioned second precreased fold lines 54along which the lateral portions 68 are joined to the arms 52.

The central portion 67 is divided by a perforation line 70 defining theU-profiled top edge 28 of the frame 23, into a first area 71constituting the breast piece of the frame 23, and a second area 72providing a cutout 73 that will be applied to the inside of the portion19′ of the central panel 46 coinciding with the front 19 of the lid 13,so as to function as a stiffening element for the lid 13.

With reference to FIG. 1, the blank 42 is used to fashion a wrapper 1 asillustrated in FIG. 9 and the precreased bend areas 55 consist in singlecrease lines 74 generating sharp corner edges 10 on the erected wrapper1.

Similarly, the second precreased bend areas 66 consist in crease lines75 generating a frame 23 with sharp corner edges when the wrapper iserected.

Referring to FIG. 2, the blank 42 is used to fashion a wrapper 1 asillustrated in FIG. 10 and the precreased bend areas 55 consist each intwo crease lines 74 extending mutually parallel and separated one fromthe other by a first predetermined distance, generating bevelled corneredges 36 on the erected wrapper 1. Similarly, the second precreased bendareas 66 consist each in two crease lines 77 generating a frame 23 withbevelled corner edges when the wrapper is erected.

Referring to FIG. 3, the blank 42 is used to fashion a wrapper 1 asillustrated in FIG. 11 and the precreased bend areas 55 consist each ina plurality of crease lines 78 extending mutually parallel and separatedone from the other by a second predetermined distance, generatingrounded corner edges 37 on the erected wrapper 1. Similarly, the secondprecreased bend areas 66 consist each in a plurality of crease lines 79generating a frame 23 with rounded corner edges when the wrapper iserected.

Referring to FIG. 4, each of the precreased bend areas 55 comprises acrease line 80 generating the sharp corner edge 41 of the wrapper 1illustrated in FIG. 12, also a plurality of crease lines 81 extendingmutually parallel and serving to connect a central part 38′ of thelateral panel 47 to the crease line 80. Each set of lines 80 and 81makes up one longitudinal lateral band 39 of the wrapper 1 illustratedin FIG. 12. Similarly, the second precreased bend areas 66 consist eachin a single crease line 82 and a plurality of crease lines 83 generatinga frame 23 bordered by lateral bands 39 when the wrapper is erected.

In the examples of FIGS. 1 to 4, the first portion 51 is hinged alongthe second precreased fold lines 54 to the connecting arms 52, which inturn are hinged along the first precreased fold lines 53 to the ends ofthe portions 17′ of the lateral panels 47 destined to become the flanks17 of the container 11, and in this instance the U-profiled edge 28 ofthe first portion 51 incorporating the frame 23 is disposed with thecutaway directed toward the main portion 45 of the blank 42.

In an embodiment of the blank not illustrated in the drawings, the arms52 might be hinged along the first precreased fold lines 53 to the endsof those portions 21′ of the lateral panels 47 which provide the flanks21 of the lid 13, and in this instance the U-profiled edge 28 of thefirst portion 51 incorporating the frame 23 would be disposed with thecutaway directed away from the main portion 45 of the blank 42.

Observing the blanks 42 illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 4, it will be seenthat the second precreased bend areas 66 of the appendage 50 are brokenby slots 84 of predetermined length designed to enable faultlesspositioning of the frame in relation to the wrapper, avoidingdeformations along the sharp corner edges 10 of FIG. 9, along thebevelled corners edges 36 of FIG. 10, along the rounded corner edges 37of FIG. 11, and similarly along the lateral bands 39 of FIG. 12. Theslots 84 are also instrumental in allowing the appendage 50 to be bentmore accurately along the selfsame areas 66.

Referring now to FIGS. 5 to 8, it is assumed that the blank 42 describedthus far lies flat initially with the unfinished side uppermost, theopposite side being that with the treated surfaces that will constitutethe part of the wrapper 1 exposed to view.

To ensure that the frame 23, when brought into the assembly positionover the main portion 45 of the blank 42, will be disposed with itstreated surface offered to the untreated surface of the wrapper 1, theprocedure according to the lo invention includes a sequence of foldingsteps conceived in such a way that the central cutaway 29, therestraints 30 and the top ends 32 of the lateral portions 31 of theframe 23 will be disposed ultimately with the treated surface facingoutwards.

The folding steps in question involve rotating the connecting arms 52about the respective first precreased fold lines 53 in a clockwisedirection, as viewed in FIG. 5 and indicated by the arrows denoted F1,to the point of engaging in full frontal contact with the main portion45 of the blank 42, and more exactly with the lateral panels 47.

As the arms 52 are being thus rotated, the first portion 51 of theappendage 50 incorporating the frame 23 is rotated about the secondprecreased fold lines 54 in an anticlockwise direction, as viewed inFIG. 5 and indicated by the arrow denoted F2, in such a way as to bringthe treated face of the first portion 51 into contact with the untreatedface of the main portion 45 of the blank 42, as illustrated in FIG. 6.In this position, the cutout 73 enters into contact with a layer ofadhesive material and is made to stick fast to the corresponding portion19′ of the central panel 46, thus remaining attached to the lid 13 whenthe wrapper 1 is broken open.

In the example of FIG. 7, which illustrates an alternative solution, thefirst portion 51 of the appendage 50 incorporating the frame 23 isrotated clockwise about the second precreased fold lines 54, asindicated by the arrow denoted F3, in the same direction as that inwhich the arms 52 are rotated, indicated by the arrows denoted F1.

It will be observed that in the example of FIG. 5 the arms 52 assume aposition of direct contact with the lateral panels 47, as discernible inFIG. 6, whereas in the example of FIGS. 7 and 8, part of the lateralportions 68 will be interposed between the arms 52 and the lateralpanels 47.

In both of the examples described, the orientation of the U-profilededge 28 defined by the perforation line 70 remains the same both beforeassembly, as illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 4, and following assembly asillustrated in FIGS. 6 and 8.

Finally, it will be evident in the light of the foregoing that the flatdiecut blank 42 might be embodied with the principal panels 46, 47 and48 arranged in a manner other than that described and illustrated,and/or with a different arrangement of the frame or first portion 51relative to the selfsame panels 46, 47 and 48.

In particular, and by way of example, the first portion 51 might beconnected by way of at least one arm 52, and preferably one only, to aside edge of the lateral panel 47 or the end panel 48, and the end flap49 might be associated with this same panel 48. In this instance,rotating the arm 52 about the crease line along which it is joined tothe panel 47 or 48 would bring the first portion 51 into contact firstwith the main body of the blank 42, whereupon a further rotation in theopposite direction about the crease line along which the first portion51 is joined to the arm 52 would bring the first portion 51 into itsfinal position of contact with the central panel 46.

Alternatively, moreover, the flat diecut blank 42 could extend along alongitudinal axis only, in which case the first portion 51 constitutingthe frame would be connected by way of two arms 52 to an end portion ofthe blank 42.

1. A blank for a wrapper of rigid type with a hinged lid for tobaccoproducts, the wrapper (1) appearing substantially parallelepiped inshape, presenting a front face (5), a rear face (6), two flank faces(7), a top end face (8) and a bottom end face (9), and comprising acontainer (11) and a lid (13) joined together along a hinge line (14),also a frame (23) with a U-profiled top edge (28), the blank (42)presenting a transverse axis (43) and a longitudinal axis (44) andcomprising a main portion (45) destined to form the container (11) andthe lid (13), and an appendage (50) destined to form the frame (23),characterized in that the main portion (45) destined to form thecontainer (11) and the lid (13) of the wrapper (1), extends along saidtransverse axis (43), and the appendage (50) destined to form the frame(23) extends, with respect to the main portion (45) of the blank (42)destined to form the lid (13), the front face (5) and the two flankfaces (7), along said longitudinal axis (44); said appendage (50)extending at opposite side of a central panel (46), defining also thefront face (5) of the wrapper (1), with respect to the portion definingthe lid (13); said appendage (50) presents a first portion (51)comprising the frame (23) and at least one connecting arm (52)terminating at the opposite ends in first and second precreased foldlines (53, 54) along which the selfsame arm (52) is joined respectivelyto the main portion (45) and to the first portion (51) comprising theframe (23).
 2. A blank as in claim 1, wherein the appendage (50)presents two connecting arms (52) disposed one on either side of thefirst portion (51), terminating at the opposite ends in respective firstprecreased fold lines (53) aligned one with another, and respectivesecond precreased fold lines (54) aligned one with another and extendingparallel to the first precreased fold lines (53).
 3. A blank as in claim2, wherein the main portion (45) is aligned on the transverse axis (43)and the first and second precreased fold lines (53, 54) extend parallelwith the selfsame transverse axis (43).
 4. A blank as in claim 1,wherein the first portion (51) comprising the frame (23) is disposedwith the U-profiled top edge (28) facing in the same direction as thatassumed ultimately when the first portion (51) is united with the mainportion (45) destined to provide the container (11) and the lid (13) ofthe wrapper (1).
 5. A blank as in claim 1, wherein the main portion (45)comprises, aligned along the transverse axis (43) and joined one toanother by respective first longitudinal precreased bend areas (55), acentral panel (46) and two lateral panels (47) adjacent to the centralpanel (46), presenting respective portions (15′, 17′) destined toprovide the front (15) and the flanks (17) of the container (11) andrespective portions (19′, 21′) destined to provide the front (19) andthe flanks (21) of the lid (13); the arms (52) are hinged along thefirst precreased fold lines (53) to the ends of the portions (17′) ofthe lateral panels (47) destined to provide the flanks (17) of thecontainer (11); and the U-profiled edge (28) of the first portion (51)comprising the frame (23) is disposed with the U profile directed towardthe main portion (45).
 6. A blank as in claim 1, wherein the mainportion (45) comprises, aligned along the transverse axis (43) andjoined one to another by respective first longitudinal precreased bendareas (55), a central panel (46) and two lateral panels (47) adjacent tothe central panel (46), presenting respective portions (15′, 17′)destined to provide the front (15) and the flanks (17) of the container(11) and respective portions (19′, 21′) destined to provide the front(19) and the flanks (21) of the lid (13), the arms (52) are hinged alongthe first precreased fold lines (53) to the ends of the portions (21′)of the lateral panels (47) destined to provide the flanks (21) of thelid (13), and the U-profiled edge (28) of the first portion (51)comprising the frame (23) is disposed with the U profile directed awayfrom the main portion (45).
 7. A blank as in claim 1, wherein theappendage (50) destined to provide the frame (23) comprises, joined oneto another by respective second longitudinal precreased bend areas (66),a central portion (67) and two lateral portions (68) aligned on theconnecting arms (52), joined to the selfsame arms (52) along the secondprecreased fold lines (54) and destined to provide the flanks of theframe (23), of which the central portion (67) is divided by aperforation line (70), coinciding with the U-profiled edge (28), into afirst area (71) constituting the breast piece of the frame (23) and asecond area (72) providing a cutout (73) that will be applied to theinside of the portion (19′) of the central panel (46) coinciding withthe front (19) of the lid (13).
 8. A blank as in claim 7, wherein thefirst and second precreased bend areas (55, 66) comprise at least onecrease line (74, 75).
 9. A blank as in claim 7, wherein the first andsecond precreased bend areas (55, 66) comprise two crease lines (76, 77)separated one from another by a predetermined distance.
 10. A blank asin claim 1, wherein the second precreased bend areas of the appendageare broken by slots of predetermined length.
 11. A blank as in claim 7,wherein at least one of the first and second precreased bend areas (55,66) comprises a plurality of crease lines (78, 79) extending mutuallyparallel and separated one from another by a predetermined distance. 12.A blank as in claim 7, wherein at least one of the first and secondprecreased bend areas (55, 66) comprises a crease line (80, 82)positioned on at least one of the central and lateral panels (46, 47)and on at least one of the lateral portions (68) of the appendage (50)in such a way as to define a central part and a part rendered pliable bylongitudinal crease lines (81, 83).
 13. A blank as in claim 1, fromwhich to fashion a carton designed to contain a plurality of packets ofcigarettes.
 14. A blank as in claim 1, from which to fashion a packet ofcigarettes.
 15. A procedure for manufacturing a wrapper of rigid typewith a hinged lid for tobacco products, wherein the wrapper (1) isobtained from a flat diecut blank (42) presenting a transverse axis(43), a longitudinal axis (44), a treated face and an untreated face,and comprising a main portion (45) destined to form the container (11)and the lid (13) and an appendage (50) destined to form a frame (23),characterized in that the main portion (45) destined to form thecontainer (11) and the lid (13) of the wrapper (1), extends along saidtransverse axis (43), and the appendage (50) destined to form the frame(23) extends, with respect to the main portion (45) of the blank (42)destined to form the lid (13), the front face (5) and the two flankfaces (7), along said longitudinal axis (44); said appendage (50)extending at opposite side of a central panel (46), defining also thefront face (5) of the wrapper (1), with respect to the portion definingthe lid (13); said appendage (50) presenting a first portion (51)comprising the frame (23) and at least one connecting arm (52)terminating at the opposite ends in first and a second precreased foldlines (53, 54) along which the selfsame arm is joined respectively tothe main portion (45) and to the first portion (51) comprising the frame(23), and in that it comprises the steps of rotating the arm (52) aboutthe first precreased fold line (53) to the point at which it is bentdouble over the main portion (45), and rotating the first portion (51)of the appendage (50) comprising the frame (23) about the secondprecreased fold line (54) to the point at which the treated face of theselfsame first portion (51) is bent double over the untreated face ofthe central panel (46) of the main portion (45) defining the front face(5) and the lid (13) of the wrapper.
 16. A procedure as in claim 15,wherein the step of rotating the first portion (51) of the appendage(50) comprising the frame (23) about the second precreased fold line(54) takes place during the step of rotating the arm (52) about thefirst precreased fold line (53).
 17. A procedure as in claim 15, whereinthe appendage (50) presents two connecting arms (52) disposed one oneither side of the first portion (51), terminating in respective firstprecreased fold lines (53) aligned one with another, and respectivesecond precreased fold lines (54) aligned one with another and extendingparallel to the first precreased fold lines (53), comprising the stepsof rotating the arms (52) about the respective first precreased foldline (53) to the point at which they are bent double over the mainportion (45), and simultaneously rotating the first portion (51) of theappendage (50) comprising the frame (23) about the respective secondprecreased fold lines (54) to the point at which the treated face of thefirst portion (51) is bent double over the untreated face of the mainportion (45).
 18. A procedure as in claim 15, wherein the first portion(51) of the appendage (50) comprising the frame (23) is rotated aboutthe second precreased fold line (54) in the opposite direction to thatin which the arms (52) are rotated.
 19. A procedure as in claim 15,wherein the first portion (51) of the appendage (50) comprising theframe (23) is rotated about the second precreased fold line (54) in thesame direction as that in which the arms (52) are rotated.